Dental disease is the most common health problem in dogs, affecting over 80% of dogs over 3 years. Chronic oral pain is a major unaddressed welfare issue that proactive prevention and treatment can dramatically reduce.
Canine dental disease represents a massive hidden welfare burden. Dogs rarely show obvious signs of dental pain — reduced appetite in severe cases, but most dogs continue eating despite chronic oral infection and pain. Owners and veterinarians have historically underestimated the welfare impact, but evidence increasingly demonstrates that dental disease causes significant chronic pain that resolves after treatment with measurable behavioral improvements. The economic and discomfort barriers to professional dental cleaning have led to widespread under-treatment. Daily toothbrushing from puppyhood is the most accessible prevention, and early professional cleaning before severe disease develops reduces both welfare cost and treatment complexity.